RESOURCES

A few of my favorite things…..

BOOKS*

The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker. Drawing on her expertise as a facilitator of high-powered gatherings around the world, Parker takes us inside events of all kinds to show what works, what doesn't, and why. She investigates a wide array of gatherings and explains how simple, specific changes can invigorate any group experience.

Event Planning (2nd Edition) by Judy Allen is a fantastic overview that includes best practices as well as useful forms, checklists, and event management tips.

Into the Heart of Meetings: Basic Principles of Meeting Design by Mike van der Vijver and Eric de Groot. This book was a game-changer for me, explaining how meetings are a form of communication.

Event Design Handbook by Roel Frissen and Ruud Janssen. This book will change the way you think about how events change the world you live in. It identifies the starting point of any event and outlines the steps of how events come to life.

*If you order any of these books using the links above, I may earn a small commission through the Amazon Affiliates program, to help support the costs of running this site.

MAGAZINES

Most of these publications have free print versions for qualified planners, but all have a tremendous amount of resources on their websites:

SmartMeetings - In particular, take a look at their free webinars (live and on-demand) as well as their resource guides

BizBash - this is my favorite for design inspiration and event tech resources

Meetings & Conventions Magazine - This publication is geared toward meeting and business event planners in corporations, associations, and independent planners. They also have a free venue finder tool and offer virtual webcasts.

Meetings Today - A resource for professional meeting planners, providing hospitality industry news, in-depth articles, educational opportunities, and more.

TOOLS

MPI Planner Resouces - includes a Destination Finder, a Venue Finder, a Speaker Resource, and a Global Marketplace to help locate products and services.

SmartMeetings sourcing tool is a fabulous, free resource where you can create RFPs, get proposals, and book venues

TRAINING

MPI’s Basics Boot Camp: Meeting Fundamentals - on the pricier side, but a fantastic virtual course from Meeting Professionals International covering a variety of topics such as defining event goals, developing budgets, planning menus, managing the RFP process, and developing contracts.